Thursday, 20 April 2017

Right Hand Rings

Simply, right hand rings are any rings that are worn on the right hand. Often the term is used for cocktail rings – big statement rings that are set with bold, colourful gemstones.

Lydia Courteille

Boucheron

Usually these are rings that women have bought for themselves. Wearing them on the right hand is a way of ensuring that they are not confused with an engagement ring or wedding band. While the term ‘right hand ring’ is a relatively new one, the idea of wearing a ring on the right hand to signify a woman’s economic independence has its roots in the original cocktail rings of the 1920s.

Traditionally, each finger had its own symbolism, with the index finger reserved for membership rings, and a thumb ring being seen as a sign of wealth and power. A ring worn on the right pinkie can indicate professional status.

Lorenz Baumer Rubellite Ring

Carla Amorim Dandelion ring

Instead of wearing wedding bands on their left hands, gay and lesbian couples often choose to wear rings on their right hands instead. Within their communities, these right-handed rings have become instantly recognisable indicators of relationship or marital status.

The tradition of wearing engagement rings and wedding bands on the left ring finger is not the same all over the world. There are many variations across the globe. In China the bride wears the wedding ring on the right hand, the so-called ‘working hand’, to signify that she is in charge of the household, while the groom wears his on the left hand.